The Suzuka Circuit is a 3.61-mile (5.8-km) road course opened in 1962 by Soichiro Honda, the creator of Honda Motors, as a test track for the Japanese car manufacturer's production plant in Suzuka, Japan. Suzuka is a blazing fast raceway with an average speed of 95 mph (152 km/h), where high-performance cars can reach 186 mph (300 km/h). Its particular "figure eight" layout is the only one in Formula 1 calendar. The circuit contains 18 corners with varying degrees and inclinations, and it's a real challenge to maneuver at high speed. The climate at the circuit location is warm and temperate, with an even distribution of precipitations throughout the year.
Races at Suzuka start/finish in the southern portion of the track, in the front straight, near the first corner. Turns two to seven oscillate between left and right in alternating fashion, going uphill at 125 km/h (77 mph). Turn number seven, Dunlop, is long and blind, starting in a climbing section that gets to the top of the hill and continues downhill from there. Turns eight and nine combine to form the Degner Curve, a dangerous segment with sharp angles where inexperienced racers get out of track. The uphill stretch leading into the Hairpin is the slowest section of Suzuka but shoots speed up right at its exit point. After leaving the Spoon Curve, racers go full throttle at 260 km/h (161 mph) until approaching the overpass, the 130R turn number 15, and the Casio Triangle chicane to re-enter the front straight and close the loop.
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